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Friday, July 1, 2016

In this simple tutorial, I'll tell you how to download music from Pandora for free and for offline use. Pandora, the popular digital radio app for your phone, whilst free to download, doesn't allow users to listen to songs offline without having to pay a hefty subscription fee. That's all about to change with a browser add-on.

First off, you'll need to install the 'TamperMonkey' add-on. This will allow you to view the internet your way, in fact this same plugin enables you to remove the annoying Pinterest 'Login/Sign up' window. Pretty useful, ain't it? To install, just click on the browser you're using below and you'll be sent to an official download page.

Now that you have the add-on installed, all you need to do is copy and paste the URL below into your web browser. A page will appear (like the one pictured above), now just simply click install. I know, that was extremely hard. Just one step to go now.

Ok, nearly done. Now just go to Pandora.com. There, you'll discover a new "Freemium" option on the right of your screen to the left of your email address. Click the button and you'll be presented with a window, just make sure the 'show download button' option is ticked. It's also worth noting that with the add-on installed, you will be given unlimited song skips and no advertising breaks. Now a download button should appear below the song you're playing, alongside the "buy" and "share" buttons.

Abracadabra! You're done.

You can now download Pandora Radio Music for offline use, unlimited skips and no advertising.

Also, unlimited Selena. Yeah, I know, don't judge.

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

With traditional media on the decline, news publishers are struggling to make up lost revenue from print advertising. Most have tried to soften the blow of decreased demand by translating their magazines and newspapers to digital form. However, due to harsh competition and expectations of free content from internet users, many are failing to fill the void left by traditional media sales.

Online publishers are forced to choose from two evils:

advertising or subscription, or face liquidation.

However, due to the sheer annoyance and bad reputation of internet advertising, including the nuisance of pop-ups, unsolicited malware downloads, fake close buttons, and auto-playing promotional videos, over 30% of active internet users utilise an AdBlock browser extension. Consequently, online publishers who utilise digital advertising (like Google's AdSense) are witnessing a drop in revenue and are struggling to produce quality content that can turn a profit. In an effort to recover lost revenue from 'invisible adverts', on Boxing day last year, Forbes decided to block all users of the AdBlock extension from accessing their website. The move was met with controversy by internet users, largely negative, who either vented their frustrations and vowed never to use the site again or attempted to find workarounds that would allow them to access it without altering the add-on. Whilst a slurry of Forbes articles (likely pumped out by the company's PR team) may state otherwise, the website has experienced harsh drops in monthly visitors since the Ad-wall's construction.

From the graphic presented above, following the implementation of the wall in late December, Forbes has experienced a steady decline in users, falling from the 170th most viewed website on the internet to the 240th. Whilst some could contend that the downward trend started in September of the same year, it's indeed common for websites (particularly news publications) to lose viewership in the months leading up to Christmas or particular family-orientated public holidays like Easter or Patriotic occasions. Why? I would guess that during such gatherings, people are generally too engrossed in their own affairs to pay attention to whats happening around them. Though, once the holiday is over, affected websites should experience upward growth. Unfortunately, Forbes didn't and instead viewership continued to decline even in the new year. Why? Internet users, once seeing the 'Ad-wall' simply pressed the back button and didn't bother to enter the site. and instead visit a competitor site that welcomes their presence.

After blocking visitors using AdBlock,

Forbes tumbled from the 170th most viewed website to the 240th.

Just four months after implementing the Ad-wall, Forbes lightened their policy, giving Adblock users the opportunity to login to the website (for free) rather than turning off their extension. A move which aims to increase Forbes' presence on social platforms (via social logins) and collect more detailed reader data; whilst simultaneously plugging the visitor hole. However, after being implemented in May, the alteration proved useless against a dwindling user-base which has continued to worsen in numbers to present day. Instead, the company's next move is likely to construct 'paywalls' and create subscriber-only content. However, whether this will be too little too late remains to be seen.

Forbes back-pedals but the website's future remains grim.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

This goes along with the long and infamous list of "Pinterest Fails" and the hundreds of other websites that force its users to create an account to progress from the homepage. It is this kind of slimy manipulation that makes the internet a more laborious way to spend your time, forcing you to fill out your real name, formulating a 6 character-one number password, detailing your age and gender or just linking to your Facebook account so they can post automated advertisements on your behalf. All in a bid to send your internet information to the highest bidder and cater banner advertisements to your new found interest in 1940's typography.

Thankfully, there is a work around.

Firstly, install 'TamperMonkey', this add-on will allow you to view websites your own way, adding or removing components of a webpage to improve its usability. In fact, this same plugin allows you to bypass websites that block 'Adblock' (e.g. Forbes, Hulu or Comedy Central). Click on the browser you're using below and you'll be sent to the official link to download the plugin.

Next, with the addon installed, simply click on the black icon with the two circles to the right of your URL bar to reveal a menu (as shown above), where you'll click "Dashboard" and then "Utilities". Copy and paste the following "GreasyFork" URL and click "Import". Finally, simply click install.

Monday, January 4, 2016

From the continuation of the Marvel and DC cinematic universes and the reimagining of old iconic movie series', 2016 in film is shaping up to be a safe year in cinema where studios are hiding behind billion-dollar franchises to garner revenue. However, among the countless sequels and spin-offs, there are five films this year whose financial peformance is not a given and may very well flop at the box office.

Saturday, December 19, 2015

There are nearly 3.2 billion internet users surfing the web as we speak, out of these individuals 6% use the popular browser extension, 'Adblocker,' a third party add-on that removes online advertisements. Its popular use has collectively cost publishers $22 billion this year alone, motivating content creators to employ "ad-block" blockers - 'jQuery' codes that detect and restrict users' access to their website who use the popular extension.